Safety appliance



Sept. 22, 1925. 1,554,31 3

- G. WARREN ET AL K SAFETY APPLIANCE Filed Apr'124, 'i924 s sheets-sheet1 ATTORNEY.

Sept. 22, 1925. 1,554,313

G. WARREN ET AL SAFETY APPLIANCE Filed April 24. 1924 3 Sheets-Sheet 2'f7 l 2f INVENTORS q. hlurr :Pn

o" 14]. l1, H 7i 0 ol a ATTORNEY.

Sept. 22, 1925.

G. WARREN -ET AL SAFETY APPLIANCE 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed `Apri; 24, 19m-INVENTORS 6r. Warren fl/M H. 12o ola ATToRNEY.

Patented Sept. 22, 1925. Y

*UNITED lsfra'rlas PATENT orales.

SAFETY APPLIANCE.

Appuauon 'fu'ei April '24, i924. Vserial No. 708,782.

To all 'whom it" may oofnomvt.'

Be it known that we, GEORGE 'VAR'REN and VILLIA'M RH'ODA, citizens ofthe United States, residing at Lakeland, in the county of Polk and Stateof Florida, have invented certain new .and useful Improvements .inSafety Appliances, of which the following is a specificatiom referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates lto certain improvements in safety appliancesandhas relation more particularly toa device of this 'general characterespecially designed. and adapted for use in connection with motorldriven vehicles and yi-t is 'an object of the invention lto provide Vanovel and improved device of this general character which is adapted tostop the vehicle when lin the act of sltidding either on a straight roador on a curve Another objecto'f the invention is to provide a novel andimproved device of t'his general character 'comprising a `meinbersupported for swinging movement 'and provided in its outer end with la'carriage adapted tto be interposed between a wheel yof the. vehicle andthe surface on which said vehicle is travelling together 'withreleasafble means for maintaining `said member and carriage normally inan Zinoperative position.

Furthermore, it is an 'obj/ect of the invention to provide a novel andimproved device of this general character embodying a carriage providedwith rollers for direct contact lwith the surface over which the vehiclekmay travel Vand with which a wheel of 'the vehicle engages when kthe4carriage is in vworking position resulting in reversed rotation of therollers of Athe carriage whereby the braking action of the device ismaterially facilitated.

The invention consists in the details of construction and in the`combination and arrangement of the several parts of our inproved safetyappliance whereby certain important advantages are attained and thedevice rendered simpler, 'less expensive vand otherwise more convenientand advantageous for use, as will Ibe hereinafter more fully set forth.

The novel features of our invention will hereinafter be definitelyclaimed.

'In order 'that our invention may be the better understood, we willunowlproceed to companying drawings, wherein Figure l is a view partl7 insection and partly in side elevation illustrating 'a safety applianceconstructed in accordance with an embodiment of 'our invention and inapplied position, a 'second position Vof the carriage and the 'parts'concomitant thereto being diagrammatically .indicated fby broken lines;

Figure 2 is a view in front elevation Vand partly in section of thestructure as illus-v trated in Figure l; f v

igure 3 is a view similar to .Figure l but showing the carriage and thepart-s directly associated therewith in an in`terine diate position. l

yFigure 4E is .a fragmentary view in top plan of the structure asillustrated in Figure 3; v

Figure 5 is a longitudinal vertical .sectional view taken through thecarriage as herein disclosed;

Figure 6 is a view partly in top plan and partly in section of theswinging plate as herein disclosed and the parts directlyassociatedtherewith;

,Figure 7 is a view similar .to Figure `6 .but showing the plate in 'asecond position;

Figure 8 kis a sectional view ltaken 'substantially on the line 8 8 'ofFigure 6;

Figure 9 isa fragmentary View partly in section 'and `partly invelevation of the structure as illust-rated in Figure 8;

Figure lO -is a Afragmentary View partly in section and partly inelevation of the structure 'as disclosed in Figure 8, 'the `sectionbeing taken on line 11G-,10 of Figure li.

Our improved appliance as herein disclosed comprises a carriage Cadapted for coaction with 4each of .the rear or drive wheels of .a`motor driven vehicle but asjthe mounting and operationof -both of suchcarriages are the same it is believed that a detailed description andillustration of one is sufficient for the purposes of disclosure.

As disclosed in .the accompanying drawings, a plate l vunderlies arvehicle spring S and Lextends inwardly thereof, one vend portion `ofthe plate being provided with wings 2 arranged at opposite sides oftheVspring and extending thereabove. Disposed through the upper portions ofthe wings 2,

are the holding kbolts 3.

Underlying the plate 1 is a second plate 4 extending from one end of theplate 1 to a predetermined point beyond the opposite end thereof, saidplate 4 at its opposite ends being provided with the depending flanges5, each of the flanges having its lower portion provided with anoutstanding ear 6.

The plate 4 at a predetermined point intermediate its ends is providedwith an opening 7 and at opposite sides of said opening 7 the plate 4 isprovided with the arcuate slots 8 disposed on the same radius. Freelydisposed through the slots 8 and engaged with the plate 1 are the headedshanks or bolts 9 providing means to hold the plate 4 in appliedposition with respect to the plate 1 yet permitting said plate 4 to haveswinging movement with respect to the axis of the opening 7.

Depending from the plate 1 and disposed axially through the opening 7 isan elongated headed shank or bolt 10 upon which is mounted a sleeve orbushing 11 the upper portion 11a of which being reduced and snuglyfitting within the opening 7 of the plate 4 whereby said portion 11atprovides a pivotal mounting for the plate 4.

The sleeve or bushing 11 is locked against rotation about the shank orbolt 10 through the medium of the dowel pins 12 engaged within theopposed faces of the plate 1 and bushing or sleeve 11 or moreparticularly the reduced portion 11n thereof.

The outer face or portion of the sleeve or bushing 11 is provided with arecess 14 concave in cross section and the lower portion of said recess14 is continued by a forwardly and upwardly disposed spiral or cam arm15.

Supported by the ears 6 and bridging the space therebetween is a rod 16on which is freely mounted the sleeve or barrel 17 carried by an endportion of an elongated arm 18, said arm 18 having its opposite endportions oli'set one with respect to the other. The sleeve 17 isarranged between the ears 6 and is of a length materially less than thedistance between said ears 6 and one end portion of the sleeve isprovided with a bevel 19 and pressing against the opposite end of thesleeve 17 is an expansible spring 20 encircling the rod 16 andinterposed between the sleeve 17 and the adjacent ear 6. The spring 20tends to urge the sleeve 17 in one direction.

Fixed to the rod 16 adjacent the end of the sleeve 17 provided with thebevel 19 is a sleeve 21 having a portion 22 disposed on a bevelcomplemental to the beveled portion 19 of the sleeve 17 so that uponrequisite upward rotation of the arm 18 to a certain degree, the beveledportions 19 and 22 will be brought into overlying relation, asillustrated in Figure 7 whereupon the sleeves 17 and 21 are connectedfor unitary rotation. lVhen the beveled portions 19 and 22 are initiallybrought substantially into alignment there is but slight overlyingrelation effected by the spring 2O but as the arm 18 continues to moveupwardly, the sleeve 17 will be caused to further travel along the rod16 in a direction toward the sleeve 21 through the medium of the cam arm15 which is disposed through an opening 23 in the arm 18 immediatelyadjacent to the sleeve 17. This movement of the sleeve 17 is desired inorder to permit the arm 18 to be swung upwardly without hinderance orobstruction being offered by the spring S. This is further accomplishedin view of the fact that when the sleeve 17 has had its limit ofmovement toward the sleeve 21, the arm 15 will coact with the arm 18 toeffect a swinging movement of' the plate 4 about the extension orreduced portion 11a of the bushing 11 as is indicated in Figure 7 of theaccompanying drawings.

Secured to the inner wing 2 is an upwardly and inwardly inclined arm 24extending in advance of said wing and terminating in a forwardlydirected portion 25. rlhis portion 25 is provided with the spring clips26 between which the arm 18 is adapted to be engaged and held when thearm 18 is at the limit of its upward movement. The portion 25 alsoprovides a bearing for a shaft 27 extending transversely of the vehicle,the opposite end portion of said shaft 27 being rotatably supported by asimilar arm 24 (not shown) at the opposite side ofthe vehicle. The shaft27 is provided with a depending rock arm 28 which is positioned directlybehind the arm 18 when in its raised position so that upon rockingmovement of the shaft 27 in one direction the arm 28 will engage the arm18 and force the same from the clips 26 whereupon the arm 18 willcontinue downwardly by gravity, such movement being further assured bythe weight of the carriage C. The shaft 27 may be rotated in any desiredmanner to release the arm 18 but as herein disclosed, said arm 18 at apredetermined point thereon is provided with a depending rock arm 29 tothe lower end portion of which is fixed a flexible member 30 or the likeleading to the dash or other location within the body of the vehicle sothat the same may be readily engaged by the driver or other occupant ofthe vehicle.

The carriage C is preferably formed of steel and is of substantially achannel formation or of such formation in cross section as to snuglyreceive the tread portion of a tire. Adjacent its opposite ends and atthe transverse center thereof the carriage is provided with the openings31 through which are disposed the rollers 32 the peripheries of whichbeing serrated or otherwise roughened to assure an effective grippingaction. Each of the rollers 32 is carfil Cil

ried by an axle 33 supported by the bearings 34 arranged at each side ofthe associated opening 81.

One end portion of the carriage C has pivotally connected therewith, asat 35, a sleeve 36 with which thel outer end portionof the arm 18 is inswivelled connection. The pivotal connection 35 permits the carriage Cto have swinging movement in a directiontoward or from the arm 18 andthe carriage C is automatically moved toward the arm. 18 through themedium of the retractible spring ST1-raving oneend portion secured tothe carriage and its opposite end portion to the arm.

operatively connected with the hinged end portion of the carriage C is aflexible member 38 which is adapted to be secured at a suitable point tothe vehicle, said member 38 operating to -limit thel downward swingingmovement of the arm 18 and preferably to prevent said arm from havingdownward swinging movement beyond a vertical center as is particularlyillustrated in Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings.

Normally the arm 18 is inv its raised position, as indicated by brokenlines in Figure 1 but when the vehicle starts to slrid, either on astraight road or on a curve, the operator imposes pullr upon the member30 and thereby effects a release of the arm 18 and said arm will dropdownwardly. In suchV initial downward movement the plate 4 will havesuch swinging movement and the arm 18 have desired movement along therod 16 to bring the carriage C intocontact with the tread portion of thetire of the associated wheel as particularly illustrated in Figure 3,said carriage being maintained in such contact by the spring 37. As thewheel revolves and the arm 18 moves downwardly, the carriage C willassume a position, illustrated in Figure 1, between the wheel and thesurface upon which the vehicle is travelling, with the tire of the wheelin direct contact 'with the rollers 13 causing said rollers to rotate ina reversed direction to that of the direction of the wheel whereby aneffective braking action is provided and the further tendency to skidavoided. After the vehicle has been brought to a stop the wheel iscaused to rotate in reverse whereupony the carriage C will be forcedoutwardly from below the wheel whereupon the arm 18 will be manuallyreturned to its normal position indicated by broken lines in Figure 1.

Vith the carriage C in its working position, as illustrated in Figure 1,power is reversed without the necessity of changing the gear shift andin practice, the faster the vehicle may be travelling, the quicker itwill be caused to stop.

From the foregoing description it is thought to be obvious that a safetyappliance constructed in accordance with our invention is particularlywell adapted'- for use by reason of the convenience and facility withwhich it may be assembled and operated, and it will also be obvious thatour invention is'susceptible of some change and `modification withoutdepart-ing from kthe principles `and spirit thereof and for this ytreadof the wheel and the surface on which it traverses when the arm .is inits lowered position, means for normally maintain-ing the arm in araised position, means for releasing the arm from its normalpositi'on,

Vsaid carriage lbeing pivotally engaged with the arm.y a roller carriedYthe carriage and riding' upon the surface when the carriage ispositioned between the tread of the wheel and the surface, said wheelalso contacting with the roller. y

2.1An apparatus of the class described comprising, in combination with avehicle and a wheel therefor, an arm supported by the vehicle forswinging. movement vin a vertical direction, a carriage carried by thearm, said carriage extending between the tread of the wheel and thesurface on which it traverses when the arm is in its lowered position,means for normally maintaining the arm in a raised position, means forreleasing the arm from its normal position, said carriage being inswivelled connection with the arm, and spaced rollers carried by thecarriage, said rollers contacting with the surface when interposedbetween the tread of the wheel and the surface, the tread of the wheelalso contacting' with the rollers.

8. An appliance of the class vdescribed comprising, in combination witha vehicler and a supporting wheel therefor, a rod op'- erativelysupported by the vehicle, an elongated arm pivotally connected with therod and having movement lengthwise of the rod,

a carriage carried by said arm and adapted when the arm is in oneposition to engage between the wheel and the surface upon which the sametraverses,a sleeve fixed to the rod to one side of the arm, the adjacentportions of the sleeve and armv having complemental bevels adapted tooverlie when the arm is moved a desired distance in one direction, andmeans for imparting movement to said arm to effect such overlapping ofthe bevels. t

llO

4. An appliance of the class described comprising, in combination with avehicle and a supporting wheel therefor, a rod operatively supported bythe vehicle, an elongated arm pivotally connected with the rod andhaving movement lengthwise of the rod, a carriage carried by said armand adapted when the arm is in one position to engage between the wheeland the surface upon which the same traverses, a Sleeve fixed to the rodto one side of the arm, the adjacent p-ortions of the sleeve and armhaving complemental bevels adapted to overlie when the arm is moved adesired distance in one direction, said arm being provided with anopening, and a cam arm operatively supported by the vehicle but disposedthrough the opening of the first named arm to cause said first named armto have movement lengthwise of the rod when said first named arm isswung relative to the rod.

5. An appliance of the class described comprising, in combination, witha vehicle and a Supporting wheel therefor, a plate supported by thevehicle for swinging movement, an arm operatively engaged with the`plate for swinging movement in a vertical direction, a carriage carriedby the arm, said carriage extending between the tread of the wheel andthe surface on which it traverses when the arm is in its loweredposition, means for normally7 maintaining the arm in a raised position,and means for releasing the arm from its normal position.

6. An appliance of the class described comprising, in combination, witha vehicle and a supporting wheel therefor, a plate supported by thevehicle for swinging movement, an arm operatively engaged with the platefor swinging movement in a vertical direction, a carriage carried by thearm, said carriage extending between the tread of the wheel and thesurface on which .it traverses when the arm is in its lowered position,means for normally maintaining the arm in a raised position, means forreleasing the arm from its normal position, and means for impartingswinging movement to the plate upon the initial downward movement of thearm.

7. An appliance of the class described comprising, in combination, witha vehicle and a supporting wheel therefor, a plate supported by thevehicle for swinging movement, a rod operatively supported by the plate,an elongated arm pivotally connected with the rod and having movementlengthwise of the rod, a carriage carried by said arm and adapted whenthe arm is in one position to engage between the wheel and the surfaceupon which the same traverses, a sleeve xed. to the rod to one side ofthe arm, the adjacent portions of the sleeve and arm having complementalbevels adapted to overlie when the arm is moved a desired distance inone direction, and means for imparting movement to said arm to effectsuch overlapping of the bevels.

in testimony whereof we hereunto aflix our signatures.

GEORGE VARREN. VILLIAM H. RHODA.

